Exclusive: DHS Abruptly Nonrenews Dozens Of FEMA CORE Responders As 2026 Begins

The Department of Homeland Security this week abruptly removed dozens of frontline disaster responders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), according to internal emails reviewed by CNN and multiple sources familiar with the plan. On New Year’s Eve, some FEMA employees received notices that their positions would not be renewed when their contracts expired in early January.

What Happened

The dismissals targeted FEMA’s Cadre of On‑Call Response and Recovery (CORE) teams — the temporary but essential staff who are often the first federal personnel on scene after hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters. Sources say roughly 50 CORE staff were notified this week that their appointments would not be renewed.

Policy Change And Leadership

Two sources told CNN the decision came from FEMA’s new acting chief, Karen Evans, who was elevated by DHS leadership after the previous agency head resigned. Internal documents show that, as of Jan. 1, DHS revoked FEMA’s authority to renew CORE appointments without approval from Homeland Security officials. In 2025, DHS also limited CORE contract renewals to 180 days while it considered a longer‑term downsizing plan.

A DHS spokesperson told CNN: "The CORE program consists of term‑limited positions that are designed to fluctuate based on disaster activity, operational need, and available funding. CORE appointments have always been subject to end‑of‑term decisions consistent with that structure and there has been no change to policy."

Scope And Context

CORE employees represent roughly 40% of FEMA’s workforce — more than 8,000 positions — many of which are temporary, full‑time contracts. Several thousand of those contracts are due to expire in 2026. Traditionally, CORE staff served two‑to‑four‑year contracts that were routinely renewed; sources say that practice has been curtailed under the current DHS review.

The move is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reshape FEMA, reduce its footprint and shift greater responsibility for disaster response to state governments. A FEMA Review Council task force is expected to propose sweeping recommendations, including potential large workforce reductions, though the White House recently postponed the task force’s final meeting after CNN obtained a draft of those recommendations.

Implications

Officials inside FEMA and at state emergency management agencies have warned that cutting CORE staff could leave states without timely federal support during major disasters. A 2023 Government Accountability Office report found FEMA faced a staffing shortfall of more than 6,000 employees — about 35% below its target — and thousands of staff left FEMA in 2025 amid layoffs and buyouts, deepening that gap.

Billions in federal aid remain tied up in FEMA’s backlog, and some states have already tightened budgets or reduced local emergency staffing because of uncertainty over federal funds. While proposals to relocate some FEMA staff outside Washington, D.C., could offset parts of the gap, officials caution that fewer on‑the‑ground federal responders would likely increase the burden on state and local agencies during crises.

What Employees Say

Employees who received the abrupt notices expressed shock and frustration at the timing. One affected worker described the action as "beyond cruel" given the short notice and the essential nature of CORE work during disasters.

For now, FEMA staff and state emergency managers are watching closely to see whether these terminations are an opening move in a larger downsizing or a more limited rebalancing of temporary positions.